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I first met Kirby at a rescue parade. It had only been a few months since my first bully died and I was missing all the snorting and snoring and most of all the unconditional love. When I saw Kirby, I fell in love instantly-he was just a big goofball with the most handsome face. When he first came into my home, he was a bit shy but he soon learned that he was safe and loved. After that, he ruled the roost-slept on the couch during the day and in the bed at night. He discovered the comfort of putting his head on the pillow and his butt underneath the covers to cuddle better with his mama.

During the hardest part of my life, Kirby was always there for me. He would cuddle next to me at night and put his head on my shoulder to comfort me. I truly believe we were suppose to be together-he was just waiting for the right person to own!

Kirby was diagnosed with a large massive tumor in his chest that made his breathing labored. I was told that he only had a few weeks so I took him home, held him and cried. I did all that I could do to make him comfortable and happy. But Kirby wasn't quite ready to go..he lasted for an entire year....his breathing became more regular and his cough disappeared. In April of 2006, Kirby became ill....I had a hard time watching him get worse, but a harder time letting him go. When the day came, I knew he was ready and I knew I was doing the right thing for both of us. I carried him into the vet and held him in my arms until he peacefully crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. I knew that he no longer suffered and that he was in a good place. He is still with me everyday right beside my first bully to watch over me and keep me sane.

I could have never found a better companion and friend and I know that he is happy and sleeping on a great big bed in heaven with all his other bully friends. Thank you guys for bringing us together and giving me such a joy!!!

Don't get in my way
I've got a posse
The leader of the crew
She's my sista Dalai

Dalai's the baad diva
She can bust-a move
My Moms laugh and sing
And get in their groove

I live a great life
The Princess of the Park (Manassas)
If you mess with my fam
You'll get more than a bark

So if you're not cool
Homey, go on your way
I'll bark good riddens
NOT have a nice day

To readers of this rap
Go shake your groove thing
Grab your baby bully
And give it a swing!

Lovingly submitted by Heavy G and P Diddly (aka George and Peggy Padiddle Sheehan).

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times".....some famous writer said that and for our family 2005 epitomizes it. 2005 began unlike any year before. It was our first time welcoming a new year with our beloved boy, Benny. Six months before, we were chosen by Benny to be his new mommies.

We had a lot of anxiety about Benny pretty much from the time we brought him home. From what we knew, he was a pretty typical rescued bully. He had some health problems, but he mostly needed to be loved and spoiled. Though we were never able to shake our feelings of anxiety, we attributed them to our lack of experience in being owned by a bully, and we tried to move on.

As the months wore on, we all settled in and grew accustomed to our new life. We couldn't remember life without Benny, and despite our lingering feelings of anxiety, we thought we'd have a long time to enjoy life with him. His gentle, peaceful, sweetness made us laugh and made our house feel even more like a home. We doted on him, spoiled him, and laughed a lot at his "walking strikes," his endless attempts to hump us, and his intense love of the bed pillows.

The summer of 2005 was spent wedding planning...well, actually "civil union" planning if you want to get technical. Benny's health had reached somewhat of a "status quo" and by that we mean he was going to the vet monthly for recurring respiratory and skin problems..all of which at the time seemed somehow "reasonable," even possibly "expected"..I mean, we are talking about bullies after all. And on September 10th, in Vermont, Benny was among the family members who attended our long overdue civil union.

Benny seemed somewhat "off" throughout our time in Vermont but we chalked it up to his dislike of any car travel, too much activity, and too much change in his much-loved routine. But upon our return to D.C., Benny continued to seem "off," and on Halloween, our worst fears were confirmed. Benny's continuous string of lung infections turned out to be completely unrelated to his lungs. Benny had actually been suffering from liver disease - something he had most likely had for a long time before we were lucky enough to become his parents.

After a second opinion and third opinion, we decided the time had come to give our boy some peace. On the day that Benny died, we were emotionally destroyed. We left our house and went to a hotel, unable to imagine going back to our empty house.

The next day we weren't really sure what to do with ourselves. Eventually we found ourselves at the one place we knew would give us exactly the type of understanding, compassion, love and slobber we needed . . . . the Kates'.

When we first found out that Benny was sick, we talked about whether we would want another bulldog. We ultimately decided that we couldn't imagine life without one but that we needed a little time to heal. When we went to the Kates, the day after Benny died, all of our logic and thoughtfulness went out the window as soon as we met Sampson and Delilah.

Unlike their older brother Benny, who came to us in a very Zen-like way, Sampson and Delilah bound into our lives in a whirlwind of wagging bottoms, sloppy kisses and an energy that literally knocked us over. No, I'm serious..Delilah really did knock Tori over! They were both so unlike Benny and yet so very similar to him. They share Benny's capacity to love and forgive as do so many of the other rescued bullies. They share his complete and unadulterated love of food. They share his willfulness and his desire to make us happy. But, above all else...they share his ability to make us fall 110% head-over-heels in love with them.

Some of our friends and family were really worried when we told them that we had adopted not only one but two bullies. Having witnessed the heartbreak that Benny's death caused us, they wondered aloud how we could even consider "putting yourselves through that again." It was a question, even an accusation, born of love, concern and ultimately...ignorance. Had a bulldog ever owned them, the question would have been WHEN are you going to put yourselves through that again, not WHY.

It is January 1, 2006 and we are beginning this year in a very similar way as last year. We toasted our relationship, our family, and our life. But, this year...we also lit a candle and said a quiet "thank you" and "we miss you" to our beloved boy and kissed the wet and lovely under bites of the new babies in our lives.

Coup de foudre is French for a lightning bolt or love at first sight. I have had this phrase in my head for some reason since Thursday when Clementine died. I wasn't really sure of the meaning as I had only heard Katie use it on rare occasions. We looked up the true meaning of it today and so it has become the subject line.

The second I laid eyes on Clementine I knew that I had to take her home with me. We had wanted to only get a male for Molly since she was mourning the death of our Sly. As Katie and I discussed the decision of which puppy to get I told Katie that I just had to take Clemmy home with me. Bearsy was gorgeous but there was something about Clemmy. I think Katie realized the same thing as I wouldn't put Clemmy down to sign the contract. We locked eyes and stayed that way through our relationship.

Clemmy and I grew so tight that there was barely a moment where she wasn't with me. Clemmy went on almost all of my rescue pick-ups, drop offs, home visits and final rides. She was the best navigator and helped me stay awake on many of my trips. She was regal sitting in the passenger seat, turning her head to the right to show those passing by that yes she was a gorgeous bully. The way she sat in the car was the same way she sat in her recliner and occasionally granted audiences to those that came to visit. She did have her favorites with whom she would share her chair: Brian B., Rich, Brian M., Andy, Jim and Sandy. She could always tell a softy with a good heart.

If Clemmy wasn't at my side or in her chair she was displaying her talent as an angel maker. She would roll in the grass, in the snow and in the sand. But her favorite angels were mud angels. Clemmy never missed a puddle in her life.

She was an awesome being and I'm eternally grateful for her love, companionship and devotion of which I know I didn't take lightly.

Clementine, our beloved red and white with attitude, died this
morning in our arms. She had lived with her heart-based mass for 5 1/2 weeks, far longer than "they" gave her. She was like that.

First, let me say that I've never known a girl with more dignity,
more pride, more attitude than Clementine. Even with that mass, sending out all metaseses, affecting her in every way, she kept her dignity. Even getting up at all hours of the morning, and night, she had pride. She was, and will continue to be, one of a kind. I only hope to meet her (kind) again.

As proud as she was, she still had that playfulness that some of you have seen. She never met a mud puddle that she didn't want to roll in. She always wanted to go sledding in the backyard with Kate, tugging and pulling the sled back up the hill.

Second, you have to know what Kate did for both of us. She called her VP in California when Clementine was diagnosed, and told him that she'd be working from home so that she could watch Clementine. Then, to the detriment of her
bad shoulder, and asthma, and bronchitis, she carried Clementine whenever needed. In the last two weeks, it was all the time. Kate did this without thinking, though it must have caused her pain, on all levels. I would get up with Clementine sometimes in the night, but couldn't carry her upstairs.
Kate would wake up, at any hour, to do this. She told me that she'd continue to carry Clementine as long as she needed to be carried.

As much as we rescue, and as much as we've seen it all, we think, I'll tell you that I've never seen such devotion, on both sides. Clementine turned to Kate, in a very proud way, when she needed to. As usual, I was on the periphery. That made no difference.

Please, when you raise your glasses, give a thought and a kiss to both Kate and Clementine. I know that they'll never be parted, even in death.

We have always spent lots of time with our bullies - short walks, long rides, loads of cuddling - but after Angel's passing, we took it to another level with Doogie. Although he was missing his sister, he truly had the summer of his life. We did everything together, just the three of us (plus baby on the way).

Doogie went on business trips with us to Syracuse, NY and Greensboro, NC. In Syracuse, he had his first experience on an elevator (funny for us, but not to him) and in Greensboro he was the life of the party. We stayed in a small boutique hotel that catered to our four-legged friends. They never had a bullie stay with them and were instantly smitten. The hotel staff begged us to go to dinner one night just so they could "baby sit" him! Jeff and Doogie found a special park near my conference and everyday they would drop me off, then spend the afternoon at their park before the three of us would head back to the hotel for a night of food, treats and cuddles. The second night we came home to a huge gift basket just for Doogie! (Everybody loves Doogie!)

Because we hated the idea of Doogie staying home by himself, we tested the waters at a local doggie daycare. Doogie passed the personality test with flying colors and was placed with the smaller dogs because of his age. We tried leaving him there for a few hours one afternoon, which seemed to be all he could take with those young whippersnappers. He was so exhausted from playing with his new friends he actually put himself in time-out! I think it took him two days to get back to himself.a little too much fun for an 11-year-old bullie with a 4-year-old heart!

Seeing that wouldn't be an option, I began taking Doogie to work with me on a semi-regular basis. It was great! We pass an alpaca farm on the way to my office and he would run back and forth in the back of the car at that precise moment everyday. Once we were at work, it was Doogie Central. I am surprised any work was done on those days! Doogie was sure to visit everyone's desk and brighten their day. Even the FedEx delivery guy knew Doogie on a first name basis! (Everybody loves Doogie!)

The other highlight of the summer was our discovery of the Columbus parks system. We explored a new park almost every weekend. We would wake up before it was too hot and take breakfast to the park (Doogie would always eat my bacon) then head off for a new adventure. Each new park held a special memory.there was the one where Doogie got in a heated argument with a goose, the one where he was mocked by a duck, and the one where he ran onto the field during a high school lacrosse game, just to name a few.

My personal favorite, however, were our trips uptown. We would walk down Main Street where Doogie (being the people-person that he was) would literally stop at every shop and go up to the door just waiting for someone to let him in! It was like he understood the concept of window-shopping! These trips would end at Graeter's ice cream where he would always share a vanilla cone with Mom.

As the summer started winding down, Doogie seemed to get a little slower each week. On the days he didn't feel up to a big walk, we would all load up in the car, pick-up some carryout and drive around so Doogie could sightsee (one of his favorite pastimes). The weekend mornings at the park turned into trips to Starbucks and drives in the country. The weekend before Doogie passed away, however, we visited two parks we had not been to in awhile and he had a great time! He continued to enjoy sunbathing on the deck and trips to the "treat store."

The best part of the summer, however, was the day we returned home from the hospital with Doogie's new baby brother. Doogie was better than he had been in months for that one day. He knew he wanted to meet that creature he had been cuddling up to every night in Mommy' belly (he began sleeping with his chin on my stomach towards the end of the pregnancy). We all had such a great time that day, the first with the new baby, and the last with our baby Doogie. Doogie will live on in our hearts forever, as will The Summer of Doogie.

Last Monday, October 10, 2005, Jeff and I had to say goodbye to Julie, the 11-year-old Bulldog who entered our lives and took hold of our hearts when we adopted her 6 years ago. Julie had become sick only days earlier; tests revealed liver disease, adrenal masses and gall bladder disease. As she was no longer keeping food down and weakening rapidly, despite hospitalization and treatment, we made the hard call to let her move on to a happier place. She died in her daddy's arms, with her mommy petting her, the way it should be. It's not the end, however, that we want to remember. We want to remember the journey. What a great journey it was.

Julie was literally a dream come true, as Jeff had wanted a Bulldog his entire life. When we searched the On the Rebound website in pursuit of that dream, it was Julie's picture that captured all of our attention. We never tried to adopt her, because she had already been placed in a home, according to the website. Fate brought Julie to us anyway when her initial placements did not work out, and our application happened to be on file. With that kind of luck, we knew she was a blessing and meant to be ours.

We knew the journey would be fun when On the Rebound gave us fair and clear warning that Julie truly hated anything motorized. That was an understatement. She once grabbed the wheel of a maintenance man's motorized golf cart in her mouth and tried to flip the cart on its side. Had we not pried her off of it, she just might have succeeded. Blenders, cameras, electric drills, vacuum cleaners (even those unplugged and hidden behind closed doors).you name it.if it is mechanical, Julie would soar through the air to protect us from it. And, man, was she ever smart. Sometimes when we were really desperate to cook dinner and just could not stand the barking, Jeff and I would try to trick Julie. One of us would walk Julie outside while the other used the blender inside. By the time Julie returned to the house, all evidence of the blender was out of sight, but damn if she did not bark at the pot of marinara sauce boiling on the stove. How she knew a blender had chopped those tomatoes, we still have no idea! We would try to take pictures of Julie sleeping, but she would snap out of a deep slumber as soon as we would raise the camera to frame her in the viewfinder. We never even had to snap the picture; she would go airborne lunging at the camera if we simply raised it to our faces. We have lots of pictures of Julie in mid-lunge, or what we can aptly call "camera anger" mode. We keep those photos to remind us that we could not put one over on Julie; she always spotted the camera before it spotted her.

We will forever hold close to our hearts the images that we love so dearly of our silly girl: Julie asleep under our bed, with only her nose peeking out from under the dust ruffle; Julie bounding through a foot of snow in our back yard; Julie in the dining room resting her chin on the windowsill as she kept watch over the great outdoors; Julie with her "pretty ears" perked up at the sound of American cheese or a fortune cookie unwrapping; Julie wiggling and snorting herself silly with happiness upon our arrival home after a long day; Julie wrapped up in her yellow blanket all tucked in for bed. The routines in our lives are forever changed. We will miss those morning walks, the pat goodbye as we each went off to work, play time on the family room floor when we returned home, and the nightly hygiene ritual (complete with an extra long belly rub) which Julie became so accustomed to that she would tell us when it was time to get cleaned up and get ready for bed.

Julie blessed us with nearly six wonderful years. It is no exaggeration to say she made us laugh and smile every day. There is emptiness in our home and hearts without her, but satisfaction comes from knowing how lucky we were to have had the chance to share her life. So, Julie, our "sweetie bug," we love you. It was hard to let you go, but it was time. Now, wherever you are, your spirit lives in our hearts, and the many lessons we learned from having you in our world live on in our minds: Sometimes taking a chance can bring rewards beyond any expectation. There is no joy without pain. Share love because you never know how much time there is left. Don't be afraid to let go.

First, we would like to thank On the Rebound again for bringing Angel and Doogie into our lives. Angel passed away very suddenly on Saturday night in her Dad's arms. The vet suspects either an aneurysm or mass in her stomach. Until the moment she started struggling with her breathing, she was acting like herself.she had just finished her dinner and was begging for ours. We had taken a long car ride the hour before.

We could write a novel of all the funny and memorable things Angel did over the past 3-½ years. From biting at her brother Doogie every time they got leashed up for a walk, to sleeping with her chin on his back every morning. From the way she did her little dance before dinner to the way she pawed at us the second we walked in the door to have her belly rubbed. The first time she went swimming, the time she fell out of bed, the way she ate birthday cake, her new fetish with sleeping in suitcases, the list goes on and on.

During her time as our little girl, Angel had adopted quite a few nicknames. "Sissy" - she was such a great big sister to Doogie, "Sissy Talks A lot" - she was always talking to us and "Princess" - she truly is ours, are just a few of the names she answered to. Angel became quite cuddly in her older years, and was most happy either sitting on our laps, curled-up behind our knees or sprawled out on top of one of us.

It is so hard to imagine life without Angel, and all three of us love and miss her more than words can ever express. Given the choice, however, we would never trade our brief time with her to forgo the deep pain and sorrow we feel now. We pray we see her again one day.

Thank you again for everything. Please keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers. As promised, attached are a few photos of our princess. We will be sending you a disk full of laughs soon!

Over a year ago, after purchasing a Bulldog calendar at a Mall kiosk, I learned about English Bulldog Rescues. You see, my son Eric has longed for a Bulldog for as long as I can remember. Eric is now 20 and I can't remember when he didn't want a bulldog, so let's just say that I was convinced he wanted a bulldog. Every week I looked at the ads in the paper never quite sure I wanted a puppy in the house and I thought the cost was a bit high considering we wanted a family member and would not breed. I had researched the breed and knew it was a really good match for our household. The only drawback that I could find is that my husband, Mike, thought the only kind of dog we should consider was a German Shepherd like his beloved Dustin who passed away about 15 years ago. Nevertheless, as I became more educated on rescues I knew this was the way to go. The next step was finding an organization close enough. When I found 'On the Rebound' I immediately knew this was the place to start. How did I know? I can't answer that - I just knew. So I proceeded to fill out the paperwork. Looking over the application I knew that this was a very serious matter and that placements were taken seriously. I hit the send button and waited. Since I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up or listen to my husband's many Dustin stories, I told no one. When I didn't hear anything I simply thought that we were not suitable to adopt. No harm done and only I questioned why we weren't suitable. Oh well, I tried. But I never quit wondering why. Since we were empty nesters, it seemed as though we had fallen into going to work, coming home, not exercising, eating too much and ALWAYS saying we were going to do better. My husband really needed something. He missed Eric , even though he may say that he didn't, and his lifestyle was unhealthy PLUS he needed to focus on something other than work. I knew that a dog was the answer. Still, I said nothing. How could I go buy a dog when I wasn't even suitable to adopt?

Well, one Monday morning in September, while Mike was driving to work he experienced some discomfort and pain in his right arm. He was admitted to the hospital where they ran numerous tests only to conclude that his problem was 'not his heart'. But, the doctor told Mike that while this was good news that he should see this as a wake up call and he needed to take on a heart healthy lifestyle. He was discharged on Tuesday afternoon. We came home and were discussing the past events. I brought up the 'dog' topic and gave him all of the reasons why we needed to expand our family. The phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and almost did not answer since I thought it was a telemarketing call. The next question I heard was"Have you found a bulldog, yet? I have been holding your application and we have a dog in South Carolina." I talked to Sandy, from On the Rebound, for a while and was pretty overwhelmed by the whole experience. I knew immediately that this was meant to be. I hung up the phone and before I could say anything Mike said we needed to get that dog. One of the biggest selling points to him was that this bulldog, named Roxy- which we all thought was too cool - was not your typical lazy bulldog but rather active and playful. The next day I got the call from Patsy, the wonderful foster mom, and started to receive pictures of our baby. I immediately forwarded the photos to my son who quickly called me and said "Mom, please tell me Roxy is going to be our dog.

By Friday of the same week, Mike had a heart attack and was back in the hospital. Over the course of the next few weeks Mike began his rehabilitation, Eric continued to ask when Roxy was going to arrive and I tried to juggle work, Mike's health issues, a son's college football schedule and anticipate the arrival of a new family member. All the while, I was exchanging email and phone calls with Patsy growing more attached to Roxy.

The day finally arrived and Roxy was here to stay. I was not home at the moment she got here, but soon pulled in to see Patsy, 2 bulldogs (one in diapers) and part of the neighborhood gathered around. The diva had already captivated the attention of all whom she came in contact with. Mike played outside with Roxy and Wendy while I went over the paperwork and instructions with Patsy. As excited as I was over the adoption, my heart was breaking for Patsy seeing how attached she was to Roxy. My feelings that day can only be compared to the day I brought my daughter Ashley, now 22 and living on her own, from the hospital. I was full of joy and love and scared to death that I was not going to be able to take care of her. I was a new mom all over again.

The first two weeks were an adjustment. We wanted Roxy to know she was at home and safe and loved. I needed to adjust my day to allow for Roxy's needs all the while adjusting to Mike's lifestyle changes and listening for Mike and Roxy's breath during the night. The first few days brought anxiety over some trouble with her stitches and an ear infection. I quickly learned about all natural foods and the importance of finding a veternarian who knows bulldogs. Mike was still not bonding with Roxy like I expected. Eric was calling everyday and asking "When are you going to bring her to school?". At one point, I was overwhelmed with everything and actually looked at the contract which allows for a 2 week "out". No, this was my baby and she was here to stay.

Very soon, I saw a huge change in Mike. He was in love with Roxy and making plans for changes we could make to the house to make her more comfortable. He was taking pictures and telling all about Roxy, whom he will not allowed to be called a 'dog'. I finally asked him what made the huge change and he told me that he had been so attached to Dustin that he was afraid to get attached to a new dog. He could only equate loving our new addition to the tremendous loss he felt over Dustin. Now Mike has gone the opposite direction and all other family members fall second to Roxy. The best was when he described Roxy as ' a blessing.'

Still, Roxy had not met Eric. Mike was finally able to travel and the weather had cooled down so that Roxy would be comfortable outside. So we decided to venture to Clinton , SC to see the Presbyterian College Blue Hose play the Wingate College Bulldogs. At first we took turns watching the game and playing with Roxy. Then we found the perfect spot . The security officer allowed us in a special area where we were able to set up our chairs and Roxy's stuff, see the game and be with Roxy. Roxy was soon the belle of the ball. Every child and parent, too, wanted to see the bulldog and pet her. She even gave the coaches son one of her famous hugs. Still she had not met Eric and he did not know she was at the game. By the end of the game, Roxy was the Queen of the Blue Hose and all insisted that she be at every game since PC was victorious. We then proceeded down the hill to wait for the players to leave the locker room. Eric came out and looked for us in our usual spot. He then spotted us up on hill. The next thing you know Roxy is taking off after him. Yes, directly for Eric. It was love at first sight for both of them. Soon, Eric's teammates were gathered round and Eric got to witness Roxy for the 'people magnet' that she is. We left the field only to be stopped by a man who also has a bulldog named Wallace. He was so glad to see Roxy that he said Wallace would be attending games in the future. By this time, Roxy was rolled over on her back getting her belly rubbed. Eric was in love and in disbelief over the attention she naturally attracts. His friends were soon asking to borrow the 'chick magnet." When football season concluded, Eric was able to come home and spend time getting to know Roxy better. Roxy is especially fond of riding in Eric's pickup. She hears keys rattle and is by the door waiting to go for a ride. After Eric's visits, Roxy looks for him all around and then goes and gets on his bed. She has the saddest look in her eyes.

Christmas brought a joyful time when our family was all together. Roxy got the most presents. Her favorite was a tennis ball snowman. She has come from a dog that was mistreated and did not know how to play with toys to being the apple of the whole family's eye and queen of this home that is now full of her belongings. She is such a special gift to us and has become so special to many others, as well. The neighbors along her regular walking path look for her each day and often stop by when we are outside. Roxy has a special bulldog friend named 'Pearl" who lives down the street. Unfortunately Pearl has serious heart problems and is not expected to live much longer. I can only imagine what that family is going through and keep them in my daily prayers.

Roxy spends her days blessing our lives in many ways. She also has a way of being in charge of things whether it be deciding which way we will walk, taking a ride in the car, where she will move her bed and when and where she will sleep. She has learned how the drive up window works at the bank, pharmacy and dry cleaners and is especially fond of our trips to Doolittle's, the pet store that carries her food and treats. All that know her have come to expect her trademark hug.

As I reflect on the past year, I just wanted to thank the people that have blessed our lives by being part of On the Rebound Rescue. I tell everyone about how special you all are . I look at the website frequently and pray that each of the special bullies find a wonderful home.

What do you get for a Border Collie who has everything? A Bulldog, of course! Seemingly an unlikely match, aka, "the odd couple," Jenny, our 4-year old BC, has proven the addition of Spanky to our family to be just what she always wanted, and needed.

Upon the untimely demise of our beloved bully, Wink, we experienced not only the void in our hearts and lives, but noticed it also in Jenny, as she and Wink adored one another.

Borders, being 24-7 dogs, need jobs to do, to not only keep their bodies busy, but their minds. Jenny's play level and stamina far exceed those of a bully, but the love and rapport she had with Wink and now with Spanky, is teaching Jenny to think about how to play with a bully, how much and how long.

From the first day he came to live with us, Jenny "takes" Spanky outside each morning, she through the door first, stops and waits for him, goes to the top of the deck stairs, stops and waits, goes down to the patio, stops and waits. She sits and waits for him to complete his morning ritual, only to escort him back up the steps and into the house to get ready for breakfast.

Jenny's parading around in the yard with her Frisbee is quite entertaining for Spanky while he and his Dad sit on the swing in the sun, only to break the silence by a soft "woof" if Greg gets up from the swing.

Having quite a collection of toys in a large laundry basket, Jenny picks them out, one by one, tossing to Spanky to see if he would like to play. He will choose one and they will carry it together from room to room, finally Jenny letting him have it to put in the pile of favorites on his pillow, after a short game of tug.

I think he can tell time! Every day at 12:30, he sits at the front door, waiting patiently, to go for a walk with his Dad.

Snarkling and playing on the bed, balancing pillows on our feet while laying upside down is a fun way to end a wonderful day, but we do have a problem...we just can't get enough of Spanky!

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Winnie & Half-Pint

Winnie was adopted by us after her original owners for many years couldn't keep her anymore. She was a sweet creature that seemed to just put up with us for quite a while, no doubt figuring that her real people would come get her any day. She became very close to Half-Pint, and to two of our cats, Nicholas and Sassy, one of the three was always snuggled up close to her. She finally decided to accept me as her special human friend, and we had a special bond for more than five years, she died in my arms at the vets' office last year.

Half-Pint was a special boy from the first day we saw him. He was an emaciated, frightened tiny thing, in fact he never weighed more than forty-eight pounds, my daughter named him as he was so much smaller than all the other bulldogs. He had been so badly abused that he would cower at the slightest quick movement or unexpected noise. His right rear leg was lame, probably had a broken bone that had healed in not quite the proper position, and he did have trouble with his left rear leg from favoring the injured one. Had numerous teeth missing so that eating was always an interesting affair, and I know that we had to be careful hugging him as he would whimper if you caught him just wrong, but he would rather be hugged than anything.

We adopted him in I believe 1997, and it was about a year and a half later before he started to trust people again, but he had his Winnie, and his two cats long before that. We moved to the Outer Banks in late 1999, and Half-Pint really came out of his shell then. He didn't care much for the summer crowds, but the other nine months were so special for Half-Pint, we have relatively few year round neighbors, so he got to know those real well, would run to them when he was called, and just enjoyed himself immensely.

Happiness for Half-Pint was running through the water sprinkler or chasing ducks and geese in the pond. He was diagnosed, last December, with a heart problem, and given some prescriptons to make him more comfortable supposedly, they kind of made him groggy, so my wife Darlene told the vet we would not do that to him.

The morning of July 18, I went to the kitchen to start coffee, just at sunrise as I love to do in the summer. Knew right away that something was wrong as he usually came right to me to say hello. He was lying in front of the patio doors, all four legs stretched out, and his tongue hanging out as if he was asleep, and that is how he will be forever in my mind. The day before was a great day to be a bulldog, he had run through the sprinkler, chewed the hose for awhile, barked at some noisy ducks, and had visited with some of his people friends. I think we should all be so lucky.

Words can't do justice to the story of Winnie and Half-Pint, and how good they made us feel, and still do. They are both out in the front yard in our pet cemetary. It makes us feel so good that you cared enough to ask about them, and I hope my long-winded response will make you feel good about them also, not sad.

The rumours were indeed true: three bulldogs and the humans they own were visiting, taking in the mountain air and the recuperative baths.

Princess Piddy-Paws, of the Charleston, SC, Piddy-Paws, long a member of theDAR, visited the spa to "get away from it all," it was said. She was attended, as usual, by her "posse," Mowgli J. Dailey, and Gilligan Grace Dailey, both bulldogs.

Her humans, Jim and Yvonne, declined comment, saying only, "This is just a get-away, no politicians, no kings, no popes, just us, getting away from the regular people."

Nevertheless, the word went out quickly, and, by Saturday, crowds had gathered just to get a glimpse of the oft-quoted, but never-seen, Piddy-Paws and her entourage. People were heard whispering, "Is that really SHE? Can't be! She lives in Washington, DC, and spends all her time campaigning for Kerry!"

Journalists had gathered with their camera crews just to record the event, and maybe be granted an interview, but no, Herself turned away all comers.

Mowgli, the one with the big head and great pedigree, offered to speak for her, but was too busy bouncing off the flora and fauna to comment. He lifted said huge head from licking the grill at one point to say "who, me?"

Gilligan, or Little Bud, as he's know by the those in the know, was seen bouncing in Mowgli's wake. He had no comment, other than to head-butt the reporter. Claims are pending.

The Princess, regal as usual, was seen in her custom cart, drawn by her human, Jim, who was too out of breath for comment. He did offer, "She's usually too busy chasing squirrels to speak," but not this trip.

To All:

February 7, 2008 we lost our courageous, loving, spirited, and very special Emma.

When Kate found a very sick Emma in Pennsylvania she decided she needed a home. Together they drove to Virginia with Emma sleeping on Kate's lap. Their bonding was unquestionably one of love. So much so that Kate gave me the opportunity to fill my heart with Emma's love.

Brian, with all of Emma's challenges, took her into his home where we spent closer time together. Without Brian, I truly believe we would not have had her as long as we did - Four special years when she had been given only nine months to live.

I miss her touch, her kisses, her many personalities. Once in a lifetime we are honored with the beautiful unconditional love from an Emma. Thank you, On the Rebound, for a lifetime experience.

Joyce